If it weren’t for that depressed little town on the mouth of the Rogue River, Southern Oregon would have been completely shutout when it came to AAA’s four-diamond ratings.

Oregon had 16 hotels and two restaurants on AAA’s crème de la crème list. While I’m sure there were plenty lesser accolades doled out to the region’s hospitality spots, the top slots were found on the coast, in the mountains and Willamette Valley.

AAA boasts that it evaluates more properties than any other rating entity, and is the only rating system covering the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean through professional, on-site inspections. Yes, there are five-diamond locations, but none in Oregon.

AAA said 4.2 percent of all AAA Approved hotels and restaurants begin the year with four- or five-diamond rating.Both four- and five-diamond properties are considered elite locations, AAA spokesperson Marie Dodds said.

The Folks at Tu Tu’ Tun Lodge in Gold Beach appear to have a patent on four-diamond ratings, having maintained that status since the rating system was introduced in 1976. Tu Tu’ Tun Lodge is one of 12 properties to have kept it up for 38.

AAA describes four and five diamond hotels as refined and stylish with upscale physical attributes, offering personalized attention and extensive amenities in a luxurious setting. Restaurants receiving the four or five diamonds offer distinctive fine dining, highly creative chefs, imaginative menus, fresh top-quality ingredients and a knowledgeable staff.

Here’s the Oregon list, starting with hotels, with the year the property first received the current and consecutively maintained rating: